Door latch



May 15, 1956 P s, MOLONEY ErAl. 2,745,691

DOOR LATCH Filed June l5, 1954 MWA w N06 El@ www I y 3./- N wi mw Patented May 15, 1956 Doon LATCH Paul S. Moloney and John L. Verga, Cleveland, Ghia, assgnors to The Seneca Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ghia Application .lune 15, 1954, Serial No. 436,813

2 Claims. (Cl. 292-123) This invention is directed to a door latch and more particularly to a latch having a pair of handles on opposite sides of the door plane whereby the door may be unlatched and swung open toward or away from the operator by a pull or push respectively on one of the handles.

The metal combination door, that is, an auxiliary door for screen and storm door purposes comprising a permanently hung frame serving as a seat for receiving interchangeable screen or glass storm panels is currently popular since it is relatively easy to install and to change from screen to storm door, requires a minimum maintenance, and is non-warping, sturdy and generally of superior aesthetic appearance as contrasted with wooden doors.

A widely used metal door structure includes an inner rectangular metal frame providing a seat for the screen or storm panel, which may be made up in standard sizes at the factory; and an outer sash frame of extruded metal channel elements telescoped over the inner frame edges and secured thereto by screws or bolts. A decided advantage of such structure is that the elements of the outer frame may be measured, miter-cut from channel stock and assembled to the standard inner frame at the site of installation, and consequently the nal outside shape and dimensions of the door can be accurately adjusted to the wooden door frame of a house despite the deviations from rectangularity such as often occur. However, since hinges, latch and the like are mounted to the outer part of the door sash, the channel elements, such hardware is applied after the door is completed at the place of installation. For such metal door structures it is obviously desirable that door latch hardware be not only rugged, cheap, pleasing in appearance but also such as may easily be installed with a minimum of fitting, metal cutting operations and fastening devices.

Several cheap and simple latches have appeared in prior art intended for use on light doors, such as screen doors. The installation of these has usually involved making relatively large edge cuts or large bores through the door sash or has required close measurement and tting of latch elements, time consuming operations demanding special tools such as hole saws for metal cutting. Apart from the installation labor involved, as a further disadvantage such cutting has often weakened the door sash at least with respect to support of the latch mechanism.

The latch here described comprises two half assemblies, each including a base plate with pivotally attached handle, secured on opposite sides of a door in mutual alignment by a single pair of nuts and bolts extended through the door and both base plates with but one other small aperture on the order of 1A inch diameter required through the door sash to accommodate the latch operating mechanism. The base plates are identical metal stampings so that one may be used as a templet for spotting and drilling all common holes through the door sash while such further holes as are needed for cover retaining screws can be located and drilled after the main assemblies are located. A single simple connecting link is required extending through the sash to connect the opposed handle members while a linger operated locking element is provided on the indoor-half assembly. Decorative cover plates for the underlying pivot structure of the handles and any associated elements take the form of drawn metal caps apertured for the handles and fitted about the perimeter of the base plates to be secured by one or two screws extended through the base plate into the underlying sash. The latch is sturdy and compact, low in cost and pleasing in appearance, and requires nothing but a screw driver and small twist drills for installation tools.

lt is the general object of the present invention to provide a latch which, though adapted for use also on wooden door sashes, is particularly designed for use with metal doors in requiring a minimum of sash cutting for installation. Another object is the provision oi a simple and sturdy door latch structure cheap to manufacture. A further object is the provision of a door latch structure comprised of two subassemblies readily attached in operative alignment to opposite sides of the door.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a door latch structure with large base areas for support in a location adjacent the edge of a door frame. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and the drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a generally horizontal cross sectional View taken through the door latch and adjacent door members as indicated by the staggered line 1-1 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of that portion of the door latch mechanism located on the inner side of the door sash with the cover or cap therefor removed; and

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of the cover used on each side of the latch mechanism.

in Fig. 1 of the drawings the door latch mechanism A of this invention is shown mounted at the usual latch location near a vertical edge of a door B appearing in closed position relative to the rabbeted adjacent edge of a door frame member C to the inside of which a strike plate D is secured by screws for engagement by the door latch.

The door structure here shown in part is now co.l monly used for manufacture, from extruded metal elements, of a combination door, that is an auxiliary door with permanently hung door sash providing a framing for receiving interchangeable glass and screen panels by the use of which respectively a storm or screen door is had. A rectangular inner sash frame of a standard size for receiving a corresponding standard size of screen and glass panels is assembled from horizontal and vertical rail members such as 11 and 12 cut from hollow extruded rectangular stock hanged along one edge as at 11a and 12a and disposed as in Fig. l to provide a seat for the perimeter of an inserted panel (not shown). An outer door sash frame, which may be varied somewhat from rectangularity for an accurate fit within the surrounding door frame C, is formed of horizontal and vertical extruded metal channels, telescoped edgewise over the corresponding elements of the standard inner sash, such as vertical channel 13 secured on member' 12 by self tapping screws 14 or the like inserted in suitably spaced holes drilled through the adjacent walls ot the members. The door is completed on the job-at the site of installationby mitering the channels 13 to sizes required by frame C, drilling the channels and inner sash frame for and inserting screws 14, locating the hinges on the outer trame, and installing the latch A.

The door latch A is comprised of two generally similar half assemblies mounted on the indoor and outdoor surfaces of the door sash in alignment with each other, each half including a mounting plate 16, a cup-shaped drawn metal cover 17 fitted as a cap over the edges and about the periphery of plate 16, a handle member 18 or 19 (outside and inside handle members respectively) extending through the covers, and a link bar or rod 20 extending through apertures 21 in the sash member operatively connecting or linking the handles, the two halves of the latch being secured to the door by a pair of nuts and bolts 22 extending through the upper and lower ends of the base plates and holes drilled through the sash members. The description of the handles as inside or outside handles, or in like terms, is intended merely as a base of reference, the term outside indicating merely the side toward which the door swings in opening.

The base plates. 16, identical metal stampings, are mounted with the long axes vertical and major area bearing on channel 13. On each plate a pair of perforated ears 24 are struck out and bent perpendicular to the plane of the plate at equal distances from the horizontal short oval axis to receive therebetween the inner end of one of the handles pivoting about a vertical axis provided by pivot pin such as a rivet through the ear perforations and an aperture near the inner end of the handle. At the inner lateral edge of the plate and centered on the short axis a circularly depressed formation 26 provides a spacing boss projecting about the wall thickness of channel 13 to bear on the underlying sash member 12 to space and support that portion of plate 16 overhanging the edge of the channel. In the lateral edge of the plate opposite boss 26 a slot 28 extends inward on the short axis a distance suicient to accommodate the link bar 20 with suicient clearance for its displacement upon operation of the handles as hereinafter described.

The opposite ends of the plate are perforated on the long axis for bolts 22 and outward of such perforations end segments 29 are bent transverse to the long axis-say at 45 from the plane of the plate to aiord additional support at the ends of and spaced inward from the free edge of the cover 17. To accommodate screws 30 threaded into holes drilled in the underlying sash members for retention of cover 17, the plate is provided with apertures 31 in opposite quadrants.

The outside handle 18, which like 19 may be produced as a die casting, at the inner end of its straight shank portion 18a has a pair of apertured lugs 33 extending laterally toward the adjacent door edge and spaced to receive the outer end of link 2l) pivoted therein on a headed pivot pin 34 secured by a cotter key 35. The

end of the shank 18a including lugs 33 overhanging slot 28 is swept back so that clearance is provided to the base V plate permitting the handle to swing outwardly to the latch open position, indicated by dashed outline in Fig. l, either by a pull on the curved manual grip portion of 18 extending as a lever arm on the side of the pivot 25 opposite to lugs 33, or by inward movement induced by the motion of the inside handle through link bar 20.

The handle member 19, mounted between the ears of its corresponding plate 16 similarly to the handle 18, at the inner end of straight shank portion 19a is also provided with a pair of perforated lugs 37 projecting laterally to receive the inner end of link bar 20 pivoted therebetween on a pin 38, here a rivet, and, extending from the shank opposite lugs 33, with an enlargement 19b bored for the handle pivot pin or rivet 25. The lateral enlargement 19b includes a short integral arm or extension 39 formed with a boss 40 facing the underlying recess 26 of plate 16. A helical compression spring 41, operatively disposed between the inner plate 16 and arm 39 to bias the handle 19 outwardly toward latched position, is retained in centered position by the arm boss 40 within one end and the shoulder of recess 26 at the other. The inner end face of the handle is oblique-that is, swept back-from the lugs 37 to provide a clearance to plate 16 when the handle is moved inwardly (as to the dashed outline position of Fig. l) to unlatch the door.

Near the outer end of the straight shank portion 19a at its juncture with the curved hand grip portion, there is provided a projection 19C toward the frame C forming the shoulder 43 which serves as a latching surface engaged behind the inner edge of the keeper plate D t'o hold the door in latched position. The size of the surface 43 is, of course, proportioned for sufficient purchase on the strike plate or keeper D to insure proper latching of the door. To the same end, the shoulder Surface 43 is disposed obliquely as shown to hinder displacement of the latch from the keeper under vibration or like forces. The striker member or keeper plate may be of several forms adapted to engage the shoulder and is here shown as a plate with its engaging edge portion bent obliquely away from the door frame to correspond generally with the oblique disposition of surface 43 in latched position. Outward of the latching surface, the projection 19e has a curved portion running from the end of the shoulder 43 merging into the handle grip portion. Thus as the door closes, engagement of the curved portion of the latching projection with the inner edge or surface of the keeper cams the handle to a laterally displaced position allowing the latch to pass by the striker plate edge, and then under the bias of spring 41 escape thereover into latched position as the door is completely closed. The latch projection 19C is here shown as a rib formation extending from and merging into the hand grip portion of the handle to confer strength and ornamental appearance on the entire structure. The laterally projecting end portions of the handle shanks may serve as stops for the movement of the handle under bias of spring 41 or unlatching forces applied thereto.

The inner half of the latch includes a locking member 45,v stamped and formed from sheet metal, which is perforated at one end to pivot on the upper mounting bolt 42. At the lower end member 45 carries a perpendicular lug or projection 46, which is normally clear of handle 19, but on downward displacement of member 45 is swung under the lateral extension 39 of the handle 19 to block its inward movement and hence lock the latch in latched position. An upward extension 47 with free end bent perpendicular thereto projects through a slot in the side wall of the cover 17 to provide a linger pressure or grip surface for moving the locking member in and out of locked position. One or two spring washers 48 interposed between the head of the upper bolt 22 and the pivot end of member 45 permit the necessary movement of the locking member while retaining the lock member by frictional force at selected positions.

The cover plates 17 may be identical in shape although the cover plate for the outer portion of the latch mechanism does not, of course, require an edge slot such as that in the inner cover for accommodation of the lock member 45. The covers are drawn from sheet metal into an oval cup form to embrace closely and fit the perimeter of the corresponding base plate 16. As shown in Fig. 3, the central portion, perforated for the handle member, is bulged outwardly to accommodate the projecting portions and other elements at the inner end of the handle Shanks throughout the several positions assumed during operation of the latch. The cover is, of course, perforated and countersunk at positions corresponding to the apertures 31 of the base plates 16 for the retaining screws 30 passed through the apertures 31 and threaded into the holes drilled in the underlying sash members.

The handle member 18 is riveted to the ears 24 as a factory sub-assembly, while the handle 19 riveted to its base plate and having the spring 41 in place with the bar 'ZOiveted by pivot rivet 38 lugs 37 constitutes an inner second sub-assembly. Thus, the latch mechanism is readily assembled to the door after it is hung in place by selecting the position for the latch mechanism on the door and drilling the holes 21 for bar 20 and the several holes required for screws 31 and bolts 22. For this purpose the base plate 16 of either sub-assembly may be used as a templet for marking the positions of the common sash holes for both sub-assemblies, since the base plates are identical in form and individually symmetrical as shown. The slot 21, used rather than a perforation in the plate 16 to accommodate bar 20, permits the latter to be swung laterally out of its position through the plate when the inner plate is used as a templet, as well as facilitating sub-assembling and handling the inner half of the latch.

After the holes are drilled the inner sub-assembly is placed in position, the link bar 20 being passed through the holes 21 and the lower bolt 22 being passed through the lower end of the inside plate 16, the sash members and the outside plate with the nut then being threaded on its outer end to hold loosely the assembly. The outer end of the link bar 20 is then placed between the lugs 33 of the handle 1S, and the pin 34 inserted and secured by the cotter key 35. The spring washers 48 and the member 45 are placed on the upper bolt 22 which is then passed through the upper end of the inner base plate, the sash member, the outer base plate and secured by its nut, the whole assembly of the latch then being secured by tightening the bolts 22. The cover plates 17 are then slid over the respective handle members and fitted about the base plates, and then secured by the screws 31. The keeper or striker plate D is then secured to the door frame in appropriate position. By the use of identical base plates of the structure shown, each symmetrical as previously described, the use of one of the plates such as the outer plate as a templet, insures correspondence of the several sash holes and base plate holes in alignment of final position. Also the cover screws 31 are thereby located so that a screw on one side cannot interfere with a corresponding screw on the other.

Link rod 20 may, if desired, be of such length that standard sub-assemblies may be used for all door sashes up to a chosen maximum thickness, the rod being cut to size and drilled for the necessary pivot hole at the cut end when the sub-assemblies are mounted on the sash.

The outside half of the latch mechanism may be moditied so that the handle 18 extends parallel rather than perpendicular to that edge of door frame C carrying the keeper plate D. This would require not only that pivot lugs or ears 24 be struck out at right angles to the showing of the drawing, but also that the pivot connection on 18 for the end of bar 20 be changed and the cover modified.

We claim:

l. A door latch for latching engagement with a strike plate on the door frame comprising: a first sub-assembly mounted on the side of the door sash toward which the door opens and a second sub-assembly on the other side of the door in opposed relation to the first sub-assembly,

each sub-assembly including a stamped sheet metal base plate with central portions sheared and bent perpendicular to form a pair of parallel perforated ears at the midportion of the plate and a handle having a shank portion pivotaly mounted at its inner end by a pin between said ears to pivot about an axis parallel to the adjacent door edge and having a grip portion extending laterally from the outer end of the shank in a direction away from the adjacent door edge, the shank portion of each handle having a laterally projecting integral lug at the inner end thereof, the handle of the second sub-assembly having a shoulder formation projecting beyond the shank and facing toward the direction of door opening for latching engagement with a strike plate on the door frame and a iateral arm spaced from the inner end of the shank extending laterally in a direction opposite to said shoulder, a link rod extending through an aperture in the door sash with ends pivotally pinned to said lugs, said base plates being individually symmetrical and identically formed including perforations at the opposite ends thereof for mutual alignment with corresponding holes in the door sash, a pair of mounting bolts passed through said perforations and holes in the sash with cooperating nuts whereby the sub-assemblies may be commonly secured to the door sash, said base plates also having identically cut openings to accommodate said rod, and compression spring means interposed between said arm and the base plate in the second sub-assembly to bias the latch toward engaged position.

2. A latch as described in claim l including for each sub-assembly a cup-shaped drawn metal cover apertured for the handie member to extend therethrough with the free cover edge fitted about the edge of the base plate, the cover and underlying base plate being provided with alignable perforations for fastening screws driven into the door sash.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 517,353 Millard Mar. 27, 1894 1,091,592 Schmidgall Mar. 31, 1914 1,338,153 Peterson Apr. 27, 1920 1,483,490 Stettner Feb. 12, 1924 1,591,383 Herzing July 6, 1926 1,653,513 Schlage Dec. 20, 1927 2,012,732 Schmidgall Aug. 27, 1935 2,510,019 Holland May 30, 1950 2,710,535 Quinn June 14, 1955 

